Civic body prepares comprehensive plan to clear legacy waste along railway tracks

New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has launched a large-scale drive to remove accumulated waste along railway tracks across the Capital and has drawn up an action plan to ensure regular cleaning in the future.

According to officials, railway tracks stretching nearly 123 km across the National Capital Territory pass through several areas located close to slum clusters and JJ colonies, leading to the dumping of large quantities of garbage over the years. Civic authorities estimate that nearly 15,000 metric tonnes of waste had accumulated along the railway tracks across the city.

MCD officials said that around 5,000 metric tonnes of waste has already been cleared as part of the ongoing campaign.

Sanjeev Khirwar, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, said the civic body has prepared a comprehensive strategy to address the issue of legacy waste along railway tracks while ensuring the safety of sanitation workers and smooth railway operations.

For the clean-up operation, the corporation has deployed about 145 vehicles, including trucks, auto-tippers, Hyvas and JCB machines, along with nearly 800 sanitation workers across different zones of the city. Officials noted that waste removal work requires coordination with Indian Railways, as trains operate frequently on these routes and special operational blocks are required to carry out cleaning activities safely. The civic body has also proposed introducing a concessionaire-based system for zone-wise cleaning of railway tracks to ensure regular waste removal and prevent future accumulation.

In addition, MCD plans to conduct awareness campaigns with the help of councillors to discourage residents living near railway tracks from dumping waste in these areas.